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Blair hails new Libyan relations
Tony Blair says Libya's Muammar Gaddafi is willing to make "common cause" with Britain in the fight against terrorism.
The prime minister was speaking to reporters after shaking hands with Colonel Gaddafi as they held their landmark talks.
Thursday's Tripoli meeting follows Libya's decision last December to renounce weapons of mass destruction.
The trip comes as it emerged police investigating the death of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher would visit Libya on 3 April.
Mr Blair's visit has been criticised by some politicians and received a mixed response from relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing.
At a news conference, the prime minister said people should not forget the past, but should move beyond it.
He said changes in Libya were "extraordinary", but so was the 11 September terror attacks, which had changed the world.
Asked if he had felt queasy about meeting Colonel Gaddafi, Mr Blair said: "It was strange given the history to come here and do this and of course I am conscious of the pain that people have suffered as a result of terrorist actions in the past.
"But the world is changing and we have got to do everything we possibly can to tackle the security threat that faces us."
That meant pursuing terror groups but also offering partnership to states renouncing terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Greetings
Mr Blair said he had been struck by how Colonel Gaddafi wanted to make "common cause with us against al-Qaeda, extremists and terrorism".
Earlier, the two leaders let photographers into the start of their meeting in a Bedouin tent on the outskirts of Tripoli.
As he greeted the Libyan leader, Mr Blair said: "It's good to be here at last after so many months."
Colonel Gaddafi spoke first in Arabic before switching to English to tell the prime minister: "You did a lot of fighting on this issue and seem exhausted."
Mr Blair replied: "There's been a lot to do."
The Libyan leader added: "You look good, you are still young."
It is the first visit by a British prime minister since 1943 and comes after US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns this week became the most senior American to visit since the 1969 coup which brought Colonel Gaddafi to power.
BBC News political editor Andrew Marr said: "This is an absolutely pivotal moment in the history of the region, possibly even in the history of the war against terrorism."
As well as an offer of help training military personnel, which could involve Libyan officers coming to the prestigious British academy at Sandhurst, Libya will also be hoping for key UK backing to ease international restrictions.
British firms have already begun tapping the opportunities in Libya after its renunciation of weapons of mass destruction programmes.
Oil giant Shell has just signed a deal for gas exploration rights off the Libyan coast. The prime minister's official spokesman said the agreement was potentially worth £550 million.
And defence contractor BAE Systems says it is in talks over aviation projects.
The visit has divided families of those killed at Lockerbie.
American Kathleen Flynn, whose son John Patrick died, said she found the trip was "insulting".
But Jim Swire, of the UK Families Flight 103 campaign group, said the visit would "greatly diminish the chances of a backsliding of support for terrorism".
On Thursday, Conservative leader Michael Howard said there was "too much haste" over the visit and it was very odd timing for Mr Blair to Libya straight from a memorial service for those killed by terrorists in Madrid.
Mr Howard said he did not oppose contact with Libya but thought it should have been at a less senior level.
New murder investigations
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell said the potential prize of helping Libya "in from the cold" into the international community made Mr Blair's risk worth taking.
He told Radio 4's Today programme the prime minister must put across robustly his request for help in investigating Wpc Fletcher's death.
The police officer is thought to have been shot dead by a gunman inside the Libyan embassy as she helped police a demonstration outside it in 1984.
UK-LIBYA KEY DATES
World War II: Winston Churchill visits Libya
1984: Wpc Fletcher shot outside Libyan Embassy
1988: Lockerbie bombing kills 270 people
April 1999: Libya hands over Lockerbie suspects to UN
July 1999: Britain restores diplomatic relations after Libya accepts "general responsibility" for Wpc Fletcher murder
2002: Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien meets Gaddafi in first visit by British minister since 1969 coup
August 2003: Libya accepts responsibility for Lockerbie and agrees to pay compensation
December 2003: Gaddafi renounces weapons of mass destruction programmes
February 2004: Libyan foreign minister visits London, plans for Tony Blair's visit announced
Tony Blair says Libya's Muammar Gaddafi is willing to make "common cause" with Britain in the fight against terrorism.
The prime minister was speaking to reporters after shaking hands with Colonel Gaddafi as they held their landmark talks.
Thursday's Tripoli meeting follows Libya's decision last December to renounce weapons of mass destruction.
The trip comes as it emerged police investigating the death of Wpc Yvonne Fletcher would visit Libya on 3 April.
Mr Blair's visit has been criticised by some politicians and received a mixed response from relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing.
At a news conference, the prime minister said people should not forget the past, but should move beyond it.
He said changes in Libya were "extraordinary", but so was the 11 September terror attacks, which had changed the world.
Asked if he had felt queasy about meeting Colonel Gaddafi, Mr Blair said: "It was strange given the history to come here and do this and of course I am conscious of the pain that people have suffered as a result of terrorist actions in the past.
"But the world is changing and we have got to do everything we possibly can to tackle the security threat that faces us."
That meant pursuing terror groups but also offering partnership to states renouncing terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Greetings
Mr Blair said he had been struck by how Colonel Gaddafi wanted to make "common cause with us against al-Qaeda, extremists and terrorism".
Earlier, the two leaders let photographers into the start of their meeting in a Bedouin tent on the outskirts of Tripoli.
As he greeted the Libyan leader, Mr Blair said: "It's good to be here at last after so many months."
Colonel Gaddafi spoke first in Arabic before switching to English to tell the prime minister: "You did a lot of fighting on this issue and seem exhausted."
Mr Blair replied: "There's been a lot to do."
The Libyan leader added: "You look good, you are still young."
It is the first visit by a British prime minister since 1943 and comes after US Assistant Secretary of State William Burns this week became the most senior American to visit since the 1969 coup which brought Colonel Gaddafi to power.
BBC News political editor Andrew Marr said: "This is an absolutely pivotal moment in the history of the region, possibly even in the history of the war against terrorism."
As well as an offer of help training military personnel, which could involve Libyan officers coming to the prestigious British academy at Sandhurst, Libya will also be hoping for key UK backing to ease international restrictions.
British firms have already begun tapping the opportunities in Libya after its renunciation of weapons of mass destruction programmes.
Oil giant Shell has just signed a deal for gas exploration rights off the Libyan coast. The prime minister's official spokesman said the agreement was potentially worth £550 million.
And defence contractor BAE Systems says it is in talks over aviation projects.
The visit has divided families of those killed at Lockerbie.
American Kathleen Flynn, whose son John Patrick died, said she found the trip was "insulting".
But Jim Swire, of the UK Families Flight 103 campaign group, said the visit would "greatly diminish the chances of a backsliding of support for terrorism".
On Thursday, Conservative leader Michael Howard said there was "too much haste" over the visit and it was very odd timing for Mr Blair to Libya straight from a memorial service for those killed by terrorists in Madrid.
Mr Howard said he did not oppose contact with Libya but thought it should have been at a less senior level.
New murder investigations
Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Sir Menzies Campbell said the potential prize of helping Libya "in from the cold" into the international community made Mr Blair's risk worth taking.
He told Radio 4's Today programme the prime minister must put across robustly his request for help in investigating Wpc Fletcher's death.
The police officer is thought to have been shot dead by a gunman inside the Libyan embassy as she helped police a demonstration outside it in 1984.
UK-LIBYA KEY DATES
World War II: Winston Churchill visits Libya
1984: Wpc Fletcher shot outside Libyan Embassy
1988: Lockerbie bombing kills 270 people
April 1999: Libya hands over Lockerbie suspects to UN
July 1999: Britain restores diplomatic relations after Libya accepts "general responsibility" for Wpc Fletcher murder
2002: Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien meets Gaddafi in first visit by British minister since 1969 coup
August 2003: Libya accepts responsibility for Lockerbie and agrees to pay compensation
December 2003: Gaddafi renounces weapons of mass destruction programmes
February 2004: Libyan foreign minister visits London, plans for Tony Blair's visit announced
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